


Suptober20 Day 1: On the Road Again

by mercurialkitty



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Diners, Gay Character, Gen, M/M, Matchmaking, Pie, Song Lyrics, Suptober20, Texas, Willie Nelson songs, sharing food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:29:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26773672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercurialkitty/pseuds/mercurialkitty
Summary: For Winchester-Reload's Suptober Challenge: Team Free Will stops at a diner near Austin. The only music is Willie Nelson songs. There's a lot of food. There's pie. Feelings happen.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Suptober20 Day 1: On the Road Again

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to go with a writing project and I came up with nearly 1500 words for this day one prompt. This is my first *complete* posted fic -- ever! :) I have a WIP that I started a while back, but this is a milestone for a self-proclaimed fandom grandma.

It was a small diner on the outskirts of Austin, painted brighter than most. Usually that meant an intense 1950s vibe, but this was much more laid back. There was rose-tinted natural light from a large picture window showing the setting sun. Something inside of Dean relaxed as they walked in.

“Hey, look,” says Sam pointing at a large chalkboard, “their vegetable plate looks amazing. See that long list of choices?”

“Sam, you’re ruining the mood. Hmm. I might try BBQ over a burger for once.”

“Arlette! Your music stopped.”

Dean realizes that the yell came from the back, where he sees a couple of men who look to be in their 60s sitting at a small table.

“Heavens!” says a striking older woman walking out of the kitchen. She reminds Dean of Ellen, but with dark brown hair shot through with white. She notes Dean and Sam with a nod and yells over, “I hope that you boys like Willie. The rule is my shift, my music.”

“M’am that’s a philosophy I can get behind” says Dean pulling out his most charming boyish smile, as she walks over and adjusts a phone plugged into a sound system. _Mamas don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys_ starts playing.

“That’s what I like to hear. Grab a booth. I’ll be there in a minute.”

As they slide in across from each other Dean murmurs, “Like I’m stupid enough to say anything against Willie Nelson in Texas.” Sam gives an appreciative chuckle. Dean catches a few lines of lyrics in his ear, and thinks it may as well be _Mamas don’t let your babies grow up to be Winchesters_. Before his thoughts drift too far, he realizes that Sam’s talking about Willie Nelson.

“… very associated with Austin area. Even in California at Stanford, I remember one guy who was pretty intense about him. Raved about the Fourth of July concerts.” Sam shrugs and shifts his concentration to the veggies listed on the board.

Arlette comes by with paper place mats. Sam waves off a straw as as she also sets paper napkin-wrapped cutlery down.

“I... we have a friend coming, “ says Dean. Arlette nods and sets a paper place mat next to Dean, and lays cutlery on top of it. “You boys have questions about the specials?” They chat for a few minutes and Dean decides to order a burger and fries for Cas and a BBQ plate for himself, which for some reason makes Sam roll his eyes and say, “Uh huh” like it’s some wise pronouncement.

“What?”

“So Cas’ fries and most of that burger will wind up on your plate.”

Arlette unsuccessfully stifles a chuckle, but gives an innocent enough face. “I’ll bring your drinks over in a minute.”

Dean taps his fingers. “So how long is Cas going be? I have half a mind to go out there and take the phone out of his hand.”

“We’ve got a long list of rare items to get a hold of, and his contact is always a pain in the ass to talk to. He said to go on in to the diner for a reason, Dean.” Dean huffs and fiddles with the menus in the stand.

“Finally,” he mutters as he sees Cas approaching in front of the glass door. Suddenly, there’s a strange silence in the diner as the song ends, but no instrument picks up again. Then a voice without accompanying music sings, _If you had not have fallen_ as Cas walks in. Dean feels a chill.

Now a guitar starts playing. Why does the music seems so loud all of a sudden, wonders Dean.

> _Then I would not have found you_

> _Angel flying too close to the ground_

Dean’s heart is racing for no reason. Arlett is welcoming in Cas, and looking over to the booth _._

> _And I patched up your broken wing and hung around a while_

No one can ever patch up Cas’ wings thinks Dean. Arlett seems amused by how Cas’ hair is sticking up and with a motherly hand tries without success to tap it down.

> _Trying to keep your spirits up and your fever down_
> 
> _I knew someday that you would fly away_
> 
> _For love's the greatest healer to be found_

Arlett is laughing, chattering softly, occasionally looking over at Dean and Sam. Rather than seeming irritated at a strange human adjusting his hair, Cas looks content.

> _So leave me if you need to, I will still remember_
> 
> _Angel flying too close to the ground._

Dean feels off somehow. Achy. Almost pained. The music seems to recede as Cas walks to the booth and slides in next to Dean.

“What took you so long?” Dean grumbles.

“The usual posturing.”

“So is everything set?” asks Sam.

“Yes. There were no problems with negotiations. We should be able to trade some relatively harmless items from the bunker archive.”

“Good job, Cas” says Sam with a smile.

Arlette brings drinks and napkins and says, “Food will be out soon, so I’m going to warn you now — leave room for pie.”

Dean smiles big and says “Damn, now that’s what _I_ want to hear. Uh, excuse me m’am.”

“I enjoy seeing a happy customer. Why don’t you boys take a look at the bakery case to pick one out?” She points to a case that had been hidden behind the two men at the table.

“Ok, let’s go, Cas.”

“Dean, you haven’t even had your dinner yet.”

“Come on buddy, you have to let me out of the booth.” Dean places a hand on Cas’ shoulder and gives it a pat. When no movement is immediately forthcoming, he slides it around toward Cas’ back and gives a bit of a push, leaving his hand there. Sam and Cas seem to share a look, and then Sam suddenly becomes very interested in his phone. Cas slides out with Dean right behind, hand still on Cas’ back. “Alright! I know this is gonna be good.” Dean steers Cas over to the case and they find apple, chocolate and pecan pies inside. Dean gives them careful consideration.

One of the men who’s wearing a well-worn light-blue button down and reading glasses, says, “Now you can’t come to Texas and not have pecan pie”.

Dean says, “That so? Is it good?”

“The best.”

“How did you know we’re not from Texas?” asks Cas.

“You look how I looked about 35 years ago.”

“Not from around here” chortles his friend, pleased at having the proper set up to finish what sounds like an old familiar line. They both have a laugh and share a look as their hands slide together. The movement is just registering in Dean’s brain, when Arlette comes out of the kitchen with an enormous tray.

“Come on y’all! It’s ready.” She sounds more like she’s welcoming them to family dinner than bringing food to a restaurant booth. Dean grabs Cas by the arm and pulls them back to their seats. Surprisingly, Sam’s vegetable plate is a complete misnomer. It’s taken _three_ plates and a bread basket to contain his meal.

“I think you can go ahead and bring me a to go box. There’s no way I’ll be able to finish all this.”

“Sammy, you’re embarrassing me again” groans Dean. “At least put forth some effort here.”

Sam gives Dean a death glare, but before things escalate, Arlette asks Dean about his pie order.

Dean takes a look at Cas. “Do you mind if I order pie for us, since Sammy is apparently going to wimp out?”

Cas rotates toward him. “No, I don’t mind, Dean.”

“How about some pecan pie for Cas, and apple for me?” Arlette smiles, “Sure thing!” They’re left to their meal, and Dean does go ahead and help Cas out with his fries.

* * *

Sam is packing up half his food and has managed to wrest away half of Cas’ burger from Dean. Arlette comes back again with two plates. She sets a piece of apple pie in front of Dean. She then sets an enormous piece of pecan pie in front of Cas. It looks like a quarter of the pie.

Cas squints at it and then squints at her. Dean says, “So why does Cas get the big piece?” She smiles. “Because my brother David over there loves pecan pie, and when a stranger came in years ago, I gave that stranger an enormous piece of pie, which I knew he’d wind up sharing with my brother. And now that stranger is my brother-in-law Jimmy.” She pauses, “Well, the in-law part was a long time coming, but it didn’t matter.”

Jimmy waves, and David gives a thumbs up.

* * *

It’s hard for the music to really register between smiles, bites of pie, and staring into the eyes of the only angel who he’s ever seen blush, but Dean can’t help but hear a couple of lines.

> _We're the best of friends Insisting that the world keep turning our way_
> 
> _And our way_

Dean still isn’t quite sure how it happens, but he is sure there’s a happy ending once they get on the road again.

* * *

Songs:

Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys - [https://youtu.be/i85ob2DackI](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2Fi85ob2DackI&t=MTI5MmRjYTkyNmU4YWQzMGMxNGZhN2NkMzYyOTI4NWQ3OTVhMTEzMixiOWVkYjZjMDRmMzMzZTBhNDAwZDdlOTM5NzE5YTQ0NTk4ZmRlMzI2&ts=1601645710)

Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3PB1jWO3_E](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DC3PB1jWO3_E&t=MzNmOTMwZWRiMDU2Y2EyZGU4OTc1OGUyNGI0ZDA3MzRlMTA0YWRkNyxhMzYwMzIyZGU3MTYzZDhjZjU5NmNmODI2MTExYjY5ODI1ZmQ1Zjcz&ts=1601645710)

On the Road Again - [https://youtu.be/dBN86y30Ufc](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FdBN86y30Ufc&t=MGYxYjVjOTA0ZjM5MGUwMjYwOTMwMTM4YjM1YmQzYWMwNjk0YjcwMywzYmQ3NmFmYmQ0ZThjYWM4Y2I3M2JhZTdiM2IyZTE2NGNkMjQwMzM5&ts=1601645710)

**Author's Note:**

> I left out a lot of dialogue that could have been. Some of that was for the sake of time -- wanting to get this done on the Suptober prompt day -- but some of it is still not being sure what's going unsaid in a character's head. I have some ideas about what Sam is thinking, but I haven't fleshed them out. Maybe one day I'll work that out.


End file.
